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Rennes come into the weekend on a run of nine games without defeat in all competitions after edging Slovenian champions Mura 1-0 in Brittany on Thursday with a solitary headed goal by Loïc Badé. That result left Bruno Genesio’s team firmly in command of Europa Conference League Group G, as they sit three points ahead of Tottenham Hotspur and know a draw at home to Vitesse Arnhem later this month will allow them to clinch a place in the knockout phase of the new third-tier European competition.

A fine run has seen Rennes win seven and draw two of their last nine outings, although they needed a late Martin Terrier strike to earn a point in a 2-2 draw away at ESTAC Troyes last weekend, a result which left them in fifth place in the standings.

Genesio made six changes to his starting line-up for the game against Mura, although Flavien Tait and top scorer Gaëtan Laborde both ended up coming off the bench in the European tie as Rennes pushed for victory. They will hope to return to the team against Lyon, but Jonas Martin will be missing as he serves a one-game suspension.

Highlights: Rennes draw at Troyes

Lyon looking good

Things are looking even better for Lyon in the Europa League, with Peter Bosz’s side sealing their place in the knockout phase with two group games to spare after defeating Sparta Prague 3-0 at the Groupama Stadium on Thursday. Islam Slimani scored a second-half brace for OL to clear the way before Karl Toko-Ekambi sealed the win with his 10th goal in all competitions this season, his sixth in Europe.

Lyon are the only team with four wins out of four in the Europa League and are already guaranteed to top Group A, so Bosz can rest players for their remaining matches and focus on the league. OL sat sixth at the end of Round 12, behind Rennes only on goal difference following a 2-1 win over RC Lens in which Houssem Aouar got what proved to be the decisive goal after Toko-Ekambi scored a penalty.

In their last nine games in all competitions Lyon have been beaten only once, away at OGC Nice. They are also unbeaten at home this season in nine games but their record on the road needs improving if they are to maintain a serious challenge for a podium finish - Bosz’s side have managed just a solitary victory, at FC Nantes, away from home so far.

Watch: Lyon edge out Lens

Genesio faces former club

Like Genesio, Bosz made six changes to his line-up between last weekend’s league game and the midweek European outing. Toko-Ekambi and Lucas Paquetá will surely be recalled here for the final game before the latest international break. “We have lots of good players and it is up to me to choose the best possible team,” admitted Bosz after the Sparta victory.

Tino Kadewere remains suspended domestically for OL, while Moussa Dembélé has been on the sidelines and has not featured since late September. Jérémy Doku has not featured for Rennes since August because of an accumulation of injury problems.

The game is a special occasion for Genesio, who will come up against Lyon for the first time since being appointed Rennes coach in March. The 55-year-old was born in Lyon and spent most of his playing career at his hometown team. He then spent more than a decade on the coaching staff, including a stint as head coach from December 2015 to 2019.

His squad at Roazhon Park includes former Lyon players in Martin Terrier and Romain Del Castillo, while Laborde was linked with a move to the banks of the Rhône at the start of this campaign before moving to Rennes instead. Damien Da Silva swapped Rennes for Lyon in the close season but quickly lost his place in Bosz’s defence following the arrival of Jerome Boateng, although he did start against Sparta.

Probable teams

Rennes: Gomis; Traoré, Omari, Aguerd, Meling; Bourigeaud, Santamaria, Tait, Sulemana; Laborde, Terrier. 

OL: Lopes; Dubois, Boateng, Denayer, Emerson; Caqueret, Guimaraes; Shaqiri, Aouar, Toko-Ekambi; Paqueta.